“Joy in the Morning” / “Morning will Come”

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Screen Shot 2020-03-16 at 1.08.57 PMI remember the first time Psalm 30:5 spoke to me so deeply; “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” It was 2008 & were walking through a very deep valley & needed encouragement – those words became something firm for us to stand on, so we wrote them into a song that we demoed with the band for the SONGS FROM THE HOPE FARM release, but it just didn’t feel finished, & the message was so dear to my heart that I wanted to make sure it was truly finished before I recorded & released it.

So, I rewrote it. I rewrote “Joy in the Morning” so many times that it became a joke among my band members. I’d say, “Guys, should we play ‘Joy’?“, & they’d respond – “I don’t know – which one?“, & we’d all have a good laugh. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Creativity, New Music, Saint Lewis, Shannon Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

NEXT: New Worship Music Jan/Feb ’17

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Screen Shot 2017-02-20 at 2.39.38 AMEvery month I scour the internet for the latest worship songs – both independent & label – looking for the best of what’s “NEXT”, particularly for those who don’t subscribe to the “one-size-fits-all” mindset of only pulling from the CCLI Top 25 (though I don’t deny that can be a great place to start). I listen, play along, & analyze to see which ones float to the top. I hope this curated list of new worship songs helps you better serve your congregation in the coming year!

And what a list it is! I could hardly narrow it down – I expect to hear a lot about these songs in the coming months & years… [Read more…]

Filed Under: Music Review, New Music, Shannon Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

NEXT: Fresh New Worship – May 2016

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Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 11.32.58 AMAre you looking for new corporate worship songs to use in your ministry/church?  I’ve attempted to do some of that work for you, collecting new songs year round to see which ones “stick”. I hope this curated list helps you better serve your congregation!


[Read more…]

Filed Under: Creativity, Free Worship Resource, Liturgy, Music Review, New Music, Resource, Saint Lewis, Shannon Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A birthday announcement…

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As my closest friends have learned over the years, on my birthday I don’t prefer huge parties, or being showered with gifts. I tend rather to set aside some quiet time to invest in something that is meaningful for me.

Today, I am honored to announce that Ascension Worship’s CITY WORSHIP PROJECT has recorded & released a song I was a part of bringing to life, “You won’t Stop“.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Creativity, Free Worship Resource, New Music, Resource, Saint Lewis, Shannon, Tutorial, worship planning, writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: The Church by Ascension Worship

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Ascension WorshipAscension Worship
THE CHURCH
Ascension Music Publishing

 

 

 

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With rise in popularity of iTunes an increasing number of independent artists have – wisely I believe – focused on releasing single or EPs instead of full-lengths, so when I see an independent band release a full-length I often approach it with apprehension. At best, I expect I will download two tracks – the highlights – and the rest of the CD will turn out to be filler. I can count on two fingers how many full-length indie worship records have proven otherwise; Unhindered’s self-titled CD, and “The Church” by Ascension Worship. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Creativity, Music Review, Musicianship, New Music, Saint Lewis, Shannon Tagged With: , , , , ,